The Redeemer Liveth!

Our BIG Adventure!

2009-11-19T23:29:00.003-05:00

This past Friday (11*13*09) we spent the afternoon "adventuring" around town!
We decided to go around town on the spur of the moment...
A girl day :)

Here are some pictures from our afternoon together.
Hope you enjoy!

View the slide show

Veteran Tribute

2009-11-11T20:59:00.004-05:00

This is a wonderful tribute to our military troops, past and present. It reminds me of how our son and brother, Isaac Goodwin, served in the US Army for eight years. I am so proud of him.

This one's for Mom :)

2009-09-25T12:17:00.004-04:00

The other day, Mom and I were outside weeding and I called to one of our baby goats.

"How on earth do you remember all their names?!" She asked.

"I don't know... I guess it's like if you name a child you remember it's name. OH! We remember B.B.'s name (our dog) because we say it all the time. You don't talk to the goats as much as we do! I guess that's why you don't know the names."

"Wow. You need to do a blog post, just for me, so I can see the names with pictures!" She suggested.

So, this one's for mom! :)

This is Tillie. Named for our Mimae (French for Grandma)

Precious. Olivia named this one :)

Bruce, our little buckling. Skittish little thang :)

Blaze. This is Bruce's sister. Not as skittish thankfully. As you can see, we never got around do disbudding her. *sigh*

Eunice. No, she doesn't normally look like this, she was just chewing :D

Ronald. His brother's name was Regan :)
This little goatie thinks he's human! Sweetie!

Lois. Eunice's sister :)
Yes, she and Eunice are Precious' babies.

Penelope. We call her Nellie for short, it'd be inconvenient when calling her to have to say "PENELOPE!" everytime :)
Nellie is Blaze and Bruce's mommy.
We think she might be expecting again.

We have another goat, Cornelius, but he's pretty messy right now and didn't want to post a picture of him :)
He's our buck.

So, these are our goats :)
Hope you enjoyed!
God bless,
~Emily

Can you say a perfect day for the BEACH!

2009-08-13T20:36:00.003-04:00

A few weeks ago Anna, Emily, & I went out to the beach with Jean Marie!
It was so much fun! I hope you enjoy! :D

"We're on our WAY!!! "

It's the ocean! Ya!

Trying to put up the umbrella using our water jug as a sledge hammer. :D

It took us a while. :D

My shadow

My hat & the ocean! For some odd reason I like this picture! :D

Emmy :D

Anna & Jean coming back with the goodies :D

And yes, the umbrella did not stay because of the wind. :D

Here we go again...

I love this picture of Anna!

A man and his wife saw that we were struggling to put up the umbrella, came up to us and asked us if we needed help, and he helped us and the umbrella flew away no longer. :D

de Feet!

The whole gang

Jean said about her cloths, and here it is...

"The only thing I could think of was Victorian, and I stuck to it"

Sandy-footed musician :D

My sand man, Sandy

Bye Sandy... you're all washed up! :)

And a little before this picture was taken, I was bitten by a crab, and I called the crab Charlie. OW CHARLIE! Charlie bit me! :D

On our way home :(

In all it was a most enjoyable day! Spent with a friend, good old fried food, & Charlie! :D

I do love the Beach! :)

God bless!

~Olivia Christine :D

Camp 2009! :) Wahoo!!

2009-08-13T20:35:00.003-04:00

My sisters and I had the opportunity of attending the Bible Presbyterian Church annual summer camp in Ocala at Camp Sonlight. It was June 29th-July 4th. Campers had the option to memorize Romans 13 and Ps 119:33-48 to get 50% off the price, or familiarize themselves with it in preparation for the teachings. Surrounded by three teaching sessions a day were games, pool time, study time, and meals. The teaching sessions are so rich with God's word.

There were four teams, Red, Yellow, Blue, & Green with at least 14 kids on each. There are team captains, who are young men, they are number ones, then number twos are young men to, and number threes are girls, then the next a girl, etc. Teams get points from quiz time and games. Daily study time is provided to reflect on the teachings and preparation quiz time.

We had so much fun and learned a lot! God blessed that week a lot! I hope you enjoy! :)

Lydia, Sheph, & me! ON our way!

Wahoo! CAMP!

Steph, me, Rebekah, & Kathleen waiting to be put on teams.

These are the teams we ended up on:

Steph: #6 Yellow, Me: #6 Red, Bekah: #4 Red, Kathleen: #14 Red.

The Steak (Red) team working on their team cheer! Go red! I had an awesome team!

#1 Andy Wann, #2 David, #3 Anna Blizzard, #4 Rebekah Sudlow, #5 Ben Couch, #6 Me, #7 Faith, #8 Paddy Couch, #9 Hannah L, #10 Simon Couch, #11 Ariana, #12 Steven, #13 Emma, #14 Kathleen Wann, #15 Boaz.

It was the 25th year of camp (but the 26th camp) so everyone received matching shirts for the occasion. Girls are in pink and boys in blue, in case you didn't notice. :D

Nathan Blizzard with Emmy

(Yellow team Nathan #2 & Emmy #3)

Bekah Sudlow & me

Isaac, He is so cute!

Zach, Hannah, & Anna goofing around :D

Bob, aka STEAK

(Red team mascot) :) I named him, and it just stuck. :D

Anna :D

My shoe on Sushi

(Green team mascot)

Rebekah Sudlow and I had the same shoes :D
It was not planned :D

There is a really fun game called tennis baseball.

That is what Andy is playing here

Every Friday night the counselors make a great big campfire. Everyone sits around it and tells important things they learned during camp this year. Some shared from past years as well.

The Last Day :'(

Ellie signing my bandanna :) She was so cute!

Ben, Anna, Paddy, they all were on red team.

(Last year they were just a little bit taller then her.) :D

AND THE WINNING TEAM IS.........

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v

THE RED TEAM!!!!!

aka my team :D

I was so happy, it was my first time being on a winning team!

Left to Right:

Anna #3, Ben #5, Steven #12, Andy #1, Paddy #8, Me #6, Rebekah #4, Emma #13, Simon #10, Faith #7, Kathleen #14, Boaz #15, & Ariana #11. And the people missing from this picture are... Hanna #9 & David #2.

I had so much fun at camp! I can't wait till next year, and I hope you might join us! :D

**In case you're wondering, we were not allowed to take pics during the teachings.

God bless!

~Olivia Christine

Thrifting!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2009-08-13T20:34:00.000-04:00

A few months ago we (Mom, Anna, Emily & I) Had the opportunity of going thrift store shopping with our good friends, the Lynns. (Mrs. Lynn, Gabe & Michelle) We had a competition to see who could spend the least amount of money, with only having $20 to spend.

I hope you enjoy it !

The back seat people. (Me, Michelle, & Emmy)

A cool old little bike at one of the thrift stores :)

I like this picture!

Hahaha, Anna!

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHA! GABE!

Me and Michelle, she has a lamp shade on her head... If you were wondering. :D

Half of Michelle face in a mirror, I like this picture to! :D

The gang with the goodies :)

After thrifting we went to eat at taco bell, this is my apple pie. :D

Mrs. Lynn & Mom looking at a driveway :)

Michelle

( I think the sun looks cool in this picture) :D

My goodies, I spent $14.50

Most of Emmy's goodies, she spent $11.60

Michelle's goodies. $5.00

Sorry I couldn't flip this :(

Gabe's stuff, he spent $2.50

Anna's goodies, she spent $2.60

Sorry I couldn't flip this picture ether. :(

Mrs. Lynn's things. :)

Mrs. Lynn herself! :D

In first with spending only $2.50, GABE!

In second only spending $2.60, Anna!

In third with $5.00, Michelle!

In fourth only spending $11.60, Emily!

And in fifth with spending $14.50, me. :(

I got last place, but I think I got the coolest stuff! :)

And yes we enjoyed it!

I hope you did to!

God bless you!

~Olivia Christine

Sisters, Sisters...

2009-06-23T13:41:00.005-04:00

Well Y'all,
Back about two months ago now, we had a historic day for our family. It was April 19th, bright, warm, and the sun was shining. For the Stone girls it was, in fact, our last day as teenagers together.
Yes, the very next day I would be turning 20, effectively abandoning my sisters in teen-hood.
We decided to photographically document this monumental day, and had a maah-vel-ous time in the process.

Mmm...country-fried footwear

Hahaa, we love Olivia's hair in this picture!!!

Havin a Red Skelton moment... :)

In which we find Olivia effectively knocking my hat off. :)

Wreathed in smiles

Sisters, Sisters...there never we such devoted sisters!

**The reason for poor picture quality is that we were sorely lacking photographic equipment that day..ahem..I couldn't find my tripod. Thus-forth-ly, I had to do some major cropping when editing, which tended to make the pics...grainy. :)**

So...much...FUN!!!
~Anna :)

Mad Cow Disease?

2009-06-12T12:34:00.005-04:00

You know, I've never understood all the hub-bub about mad cow disease.
I say it's a bunch of rubbish!

They look happy to me! :)

Loooook...he's smiling! ;)

A view of the field...

I've always loved the drive past this cow pasture, especially in the morning. The sunlight in that field seems to glow...sigh. :) Mom and I were driving home and the cows were right there...by the road! I've never seen them that close to the fence before. When we got to the house, she gave me permission to hurry back and get a few shots. So I grabbed my camera, and was off.

Thank you God for such a wonderful place to live!
And thanks Mom for giving me a few minutes to take these pics. :)
~Anna

Rope Swings, Smiles, and Bar-B-Que

2009-06-10T12:53:00.014-04:00

Hello Readers! (if you're still out there :)
Last Saturday, we had a special family come a-visiting...the Browers! As I was walkin' around takin' pictures, Mrs. B. told me that their eldest daughter, Brittany, who lives in Ohio (NOT Colorado :), would love to see these.
So Brittany, here's to you and your marvelous family! Cheers!

I started out taking pictures of Providence and it was going so well...

SO SWEET!...until she realized Mum wasn't there.

Then she proceeded to scrunch up her face into one of the most adorable crying faces I've seen in a long while! :D
After several minutes of failed consolation, Emily and I handed her off to Mr. B. who comforted her with much cooing and baby-talk. :)

Then, we were off to photograph the other children playing on our rope swing in the front yard.
Dirty toes...the universal symbol of country childhood. :)

Master Brason, hamming it up!

Berri's attempt to mount the rope swing...

"One at a time y'all...one at a time!" :D

Rope swing monkeys :)

A tangle of feet

Hey Bethany! :)

Boaz's descent

Brianna almost at the top. It amazes me how children have little to no fear of heights! :)

Trying to get inside...through the wrong door.

And again...

Our grill master, Ben, "looking natural."

Mmmmmm, BBQ chicken... :P

Provey gettin' some attention

Evidence of a meal

Brianna and Livy pose for a smile...at the prompting of an eager photographer. :D

Boaz made quick work of that chicken leg!

"Take a pictuar of me standeen up!"
Hahaa Brianna!

I still don't understand how little boys get sauce all the way up on their eyebrows! :D

Bethany's bright brown eyes :)

Sampling dinner

Food-covered fingers...the culprit?

My plate! :)

Cheese!

Emily concealing her bite of salad from my camera lens. heheheee!

Smile big

And I leave you with a picture of Providence that never fails to CRACK us UP!!!

HAHAHHAHAAAA....hahaa...ha...
There we go again! :D

Hope this post brought a smile to your faces! Thank you Brower family for a wonderful night! It was grand...good food and enjoyable company. :)
Many Blessings!

~Anna :)

Christy Costigan's Testimony

2009-06-10T11:35:00.001-04:00

This is the daughter of a couple that live down the street from us.

She passed away in 2006, only about a year after she gave this testimony.
Even in this, God is glorified!
~Emily

shhh... This is about.... BARBERVILLE!

2009-05-16T21:14:00.008-04:00

This past April 25-26th, we went to the Barberville Spring Frolic.
Many thanks to Mrs. Laura for many of the pictures. Since we were performing quite a bit, we didn't have as much time to take pictures.

Now, I make you wait no longer....
*DRUM ROLL, PLEASE*
BARBERVILLE!

Mom and Dad... *sigh* waltzing together :*).

Zach, Peter, Hannah and Rebekah... Peter and Hannah, by the way... are ENGAGED! :) I'm a proud friend who waves poor Hannah's hand around in the air saying, "Look at her ring! She just got engaged!" :) Love you, Hannah!

Joseph, Lane and Gabe.

The Stone Family band during our first performance... Sorry, I don't know what song we were doing here :)

A Bird Without Wings.

Dad and I waltzing.

Olivia and Miss Michelle.

Sweeties!

The Lynn family was gracious enough to host us during our frolicking weekend!
Thank you again, Lynns!
Mrs. Lynn and mom are pictured here... sitting at the dinner table, tired but happy after the first day of the festival!

Dad and Mr. Lynn... also tired :)

Warming up for our Sunday morning performance.

I assume this was us singing "This Little light of Mine" :)

Rock of Ages.

And now I interrupt this Barberville broadcast to say...
The end.
Sorry, y'all, but we just didn't have enough pictures! :)
But, all in all, it was an absolutely splendid weekend! Looking forward to next time!
God bless,
~Emily

Ode To Modesty

2009-03-26T22:16:00.004-04:00

This is a video we (Anna, Olivia and myself) made several months ago...

Hope y'all enjoy this even just half as much as we enjoyed making it! :)

God bless!

~Emily

Just Kidding!!

2009-03-04T13:18:00.047-05:00

Hello,

I just wanted to tell you of the wondrous thing that happened on Wednesday...
I went out to check on Nellie (our goat) to see if she was in labor or not...
And this is what I found! :D

Blaze & Bruce!

Blaze!
(The first born, a girl)

Bruce!

(The second born, a boy... He was still in the birth sack when I found Nellie)

Nellie, The proud Mother!

Blaze may have been the first born, but Bruce was the first to walk! :D

She may not have been able to walk first but she got to eat first, if you ask me she got the better end of the deal, first to be born, first to eat. :D

Nellie cleaning them off.

Anna's dirty afterbirth hands :P

Bruce sucking on Anna's fingers

Laying down

Ah, so cute! I love the little heart on her nose! :D

Anna had to help Blaze stand for a few minutes.

She is SSSSSOOOOOO CUTE!

Bruce and Anna

Falling down :D

Emily Cleaning Blaze off

The difference between a new born Blaze and a two week old Lois! They sure do grow fast!!! :D

Lois and I

Tying off Bruce's umbilical cord

Tying off Blaze's umbilical cord :D

Blaze and I :D

Blaze relaxing in my arms :D

Dirty iodine-stained hands from tying the umbilical cords.
The iodine used to prevent disease. :D

Last one of Bruce :D

Cleaning the birthing towels :D

Pushing them aside for room for the others. :D

I hope you all enjoyed this post!
God Bless!
Goodbye! :D

~Olivia :D

A Red Envelope: Please Join All of Us in Mailing Ours on March 31st 2009

2009-02-23T09:20:00.007-05:00

Hi all,
This is an email we've received from a dear friend that we thought was of great importance to share with y'all. Please consider doing this!
God bless,
~Emily

An excerpt from Nancy Campbell's "Above Rubies":

As I was praying, I believe that God gave me an interesting idea. Out in the garage I have a box of red envelopes. Like the powerful image of the red LIFEtape, an empty red envelope will send a message to Barack Obama that there is moral outrage in this country over this issue. It will be quiet, but clear.
Here is what I would like you to do:
Get a red envelope. (You can buy them at Kinkos, or at party supply stores.) In the front, address it to:
President Barack Obama
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Ave.
Washington, D.C.

On the back, write the following message:

This envelope represents one child who died in abortion. It is empty because that life was unable to offer anything to the world. Responsibility begins with conception.

Put it in the mail, and send it.

In another email that was forwarded another lady answered the questions that were being sent out such as: "Well, when do we send them?"

Here is her response:

Hi, a date has been set to send the red envelopes. There's a red envelope group on facebook that just started and has almost 100,000 members. The date they are asking everyone to mail their envelopes is March 31. Let's pray they are absolutely flooded with these envelopes! Spread the word.

PLEASE! Spread the word!

Lois and Eunice

2009-02-18T20:18:00.017-05:00

We thought about Priscilla and Aquila, but... "Nah, no good."
We thought about Half&Half and French Vanilla... "No."
Finally, we decided on Lois and Eunice.

"What on earth is she talking about?!" You may be wondering.

This morning as Olivia was going about her daily chores, she found a pleasant surprise outside...

"They're both girls!!" she called elatedly as she entered the house holding 2 BABY GOATS!

So, we named them Lois and Eunice after much MUCH debate :D

And here's little Lois! Isn't she a cutie? She would have been Aquila or French Vanilla :D

Baby Eunice! Another adorable goat! She would have been Priscilla or Half&Half... can you guess why? :D

Anna clamping the navels of the babies. This makes them less susceptible to infection.

A shot of us girls together with the babies. Oh! And Don Juan in my lap. He's a little baby we had a few weeks back. I meant to blog about it, but I just lost track of time... sorry, y'all :)

Eunice and Don Juan cuddling :)

A hind view :D

Official goat birth uniforms... Olivia and I didn't get the memo :)

Don't be grossed out by this next picture... :)
The placenta. Note the intricacy of the veins and the oxygen-rich blood packets. Now, can anyone reading this tell me now that this "thing" just evolved by happenstance? That this life source for a goat "just happened"?

Don Juan. I know this post isn't about him, but I just wanted to let y'all see a close up of this cutie!

Mrs. Morrison holding Eunice... I love this picture!

LOL! What can I say about this one?! Well, first off, goats aren't supposed to lay like that!... :D

:D Or like this in fact!

Many thanks to Jean Marie for allowing us to keep these pictures she took while here!
Thanks for stopping by!
~Emily

Cleaning canning jars

2009-01-31T18:23:00.019-05:00

On Monday last week we had Jean over to help us with cleaning all the mason jars that Mom got for canning. The Lord blessed us with 35 dozen quarts, pints and half-pint jars... For a fair price, but lots of elbow grease.
Enjoy!

A chicken running away :D

Daffodil a real farm cat

The fire

The pot of hot water

Anna & Jean working

B.B. through my feet

Daffodil, again

The old lids to the jars!

Jean!!!!

Steam from the pot

The assembly line,
Anna: did the washing
Jean: did the spraying of & laying the jars out to dry
Me: I took the lids of the jars

Jean, again

Anna

Anna working hard

Jean stoking the fire

The coals from the fire

The fire covered up

Jean & I

ME

Anna washing the pot

Clean Jars!!!!!!!

Mr. Bingley

More jars

Anna's hands

Anna playing in the ashes

Anna's hands making a hart with the ashes

Anna, the pyromaniac... :)

boxes Anna burned

That is all for now.
Thanks for stopping by!

~Olivia

One Winter Morn

2009-01-31T17:39:00.018-05:00

One January morning here in sunny Florida, we went outside and found this!
Enjoy!

First Picture of the morning

Frost on the car

Ice on the ground

Daffodil frolicking through the frosty grass

B.B. in the frost

Our driveway

Some artistic pictures

Daffodil

A Beautiful sunrise!

Our frozen hose

Thanks for stopping by!

~Olivia

Barberville Fall Jamboree Pics- Evening Time

2009-01-03T17:36:00.010-05:00

Look here!
I found more pictures from our time at Barberville. The Amundsen family was very nice in inviting our family to stay a few hours :) later and jam around the campfire with them and several other families! What a joyous time we had with y'all!

Jeffrey warming himself by the fire.

In which Abigail Morse and Olivia try to roast a marshmallow over a burning stick... I don't think it worked very well :)

Anna playing her fiddle in the little jam group. L-R: Anna, Roger, and Erik Alvar

More from our jam session. L-R: Roger, Erik, Matthew Morse, Garrett Alvar, and Leah Morse' head :)

Olivia. Watching all the rest of the children playing.

Thanks to all of our friends who welcomed us warmly and made our time jamming very enjoyable!
~Emily

2008-12-22T10:18:00.000-05:00

Appointment to Remember and Stone Family Picture

2008-12-17T21:29:00.006-05:00

This is a video a friend sent us that I thought everyone might like to see! Thanks Katie!

http://homeschooladvantage.us/hastore/flv/flvplayer.cfm?title=An%20Appointment%20To%20Remember&videofile=appointment.flv&companycode=barrett&bannerimage=http://www.biblicalview.com/img/banner1.jpg

Here it is, the Stone Family Picture 2008. Anna took it with her new camera and remote. You can see more of her pictures at: http://www.annagracephotography.blogspot.com

May the Lord bless you and have a very Merry Christmas!

~Emily

Our Newest Addition...

2008-12-04T09:59:00.004-05:00

Hello everyone,

Meet Daffodil, Olivia's new kitten. She was an early Christmas present from Mom and Dad. The reason Livy got her so early was because in three weeks, she wouldn't be such a little bit anymore.

Isn't she cute?
~Emily

Remember--Thanksgiving Day November 27th, 2008

2008-11-24T18:57:00.005-05:00

First Thanksgiving Day Proclamation- Continental Congress-December 18, 1777

PURPOSE:
"That at one time and with one voice,
the good people may express
the grateful feelings of their hearts,
and consecrate themselves
To the service of their divine benefactor;
And that, together with their sincere acknowledgements and offerings,
they may join the penitent confession of their manifold sins,
whereby they had forfeited every favor;
And their humble and earnest supplications
that it may please God through the merits of Jesus Christ
mercifully to forgive and blot them out of remembrance;
That it may please Him graciously to afford His blessing on the governments of these states respectively, and prosper the public council of the whole."

Barberville Fall Jamboree

2008-11-04T16:46:00.013-05:00

Hey y'all!

Well, we did it again... we went to the Barberville Music Festival! Only this time, of course, it was the Fall Jamboree, not Spring Frolic :D

We had such a good time. Anna played two shows with her Fiddle guild, there was lots of shopping, and we got to spend time with several sweet families.

I'll be posting some pics, as you have probably guessed :)

All the "Fiddling Krickets" and their families met at the musicians entrance at 10:00 I believe.

Three little girls, Olivia and I all headed over to see Roger and Gailanne performing right before the Krickets had to play.

Jean Marie, the avid photographer. :)

A shot I "stole" from Jean Marie. I took it from a different angle, though :D Love ya, dahlin!

Anna and I, profound caption, right? :)

Jean and I, another pure genius title by Emily... *blank stare* :D

Anna and her violin.

My and Mattie's feet :)

Jean, Mrs. Hope, and Joseph eating sugar cane :)

Rebecca Foster dancing with Johnny.

Lauren barn dancing. Wasn't that fun? :)

Anna barn dancing as well :)

A candid picture, taken by Miss Mattie Amundsen. Amundsen family, I do believe you all have a budding photographer on your hands :)

The Artist herself, Mattie :)

Anna and Rebecca preparing for their second performance.

Miss Kricket, if you're reading this, you did a wonderful job organizing your group!

All the Fiddling Krickets minus Seamus who had to go to a soccer tryout.

Mrs. Chalmers and Cameron Foster were the wonderful guitarists. Good job, y'all!

Anna playing Rakes of Kildare, I believe.

The Amundsen's playing with the Katie and Joe Waller (Jackson Creek).

Mrs. Scarlet, I didn't know you play the bass! You learn something new everyday, I guess. :)

Roger tuning up.

Gailanne tuning as well.

Well, we had such a good time that occasionally, we forgot to take pictures so, that's all we have :)

Again, like I said on the Spring Frolic post... Can't wait till next time!
God bless!

~Emily

Barberville Fall Jamboree Announcement

2008-10-28T07:36:00.003-04:00

Hey y'all!
We had such a good time at this years Barberville Spring frolic that we're going to attend the Fall Jamboree on November 1st. Anna will be playing with her teacher and fiddle guild... Here is the link to the Friends of Florida Folk Barberville page: http://www.folkfiddle.com/barber.htm.
hope to see you there! :)
~Emily

Happy 18th Emily!

2008-10-14T21:26:00.011-04:00

Thus begins a photo shoot Emily and I did earlier this afternoon.

The newest "legal adult" in the Stone home.

Twirling about...

Okay, so it's not of Emily, but she was holding Moo and I thought this was too cute to pass up. Yes, for those of you who are wondering...it is a picture of a cat. ;)

She's growing into a fine young lady.

More graceful spinning.

Lord willing, more pictures shall soon be forthcoming from her birthday party.

May the Lord God bless our Emily!

~Anna

Family Trip, At the O'Briens

2008-09-14T20:29:00.017-04:00

Hello faithful readers...that is...if any of you still read this blog. :) We are quite remorseful over our recent LACK of posts. I beg your forgiveness!!!

Our family recently made a trip to to Illinois. On our way there we visited in Michigan...pretty much all over the state. Then, on to Illinois we went, afterward visiting in Indiana.
"Let's start at the very beginning...a very good place to start." :)

Our first stop, after a 23 1/2 hour straight drive, was at the O'Brien's home in Northern Michigan. They kindly let us stay with them in their lovely, lake-front home.

After an afternoon of running about hither and yon to see the sights, Mrs. O'Brien kindly treated us to some delicious ice cream.

Liv with her creamy dessert.

Outside of the ice cream shop, there hung a rock. Just a normal, average looking rock. Apparently, the natives use this rock to forecast the weather.
*If it gets wet, the day will be rainy; if it swings, gusts of wind will be experienced; if the rock feels hot, it will be sweltering outside; etc...*
Well, Emily decided she wanted to touch this incredible rock. The moment she presses a finger to its porous surface...the stone comes tumbling out of the sling with a thud. We took that to mean that there would be an earthquake. :D

An Amish homestead nearby, we bought fresh eggs, butter milk, and salted butter. Delicious!

Later that day, Olivia and Chelsea (the O'Brien's granddaughter) amused themselves by swimming in the lake. They must have jumped off the end of the dock 30 times in a half hour. :)
Splashing in the drink
Olivia showed me this tiny snail she found in the lake. We'd never seen a black one before, so I figured I should take a picture of the momentous occasion. :)
A view of the O'Brien's home from the end of their dock. When you walk out on the porch, it feels like you're in a tree house.

Daddy shoving us away from the dock. We spent the next hour or so touring a vast lake in a pontoon boat. It was so refreshing.
Yup, I think they're drying. :)
Emily and I
Our pilot, Captain O'Brien, looking quite intent on his task. The lovely bride of our captain, reclining with their sweet dog, Abbey.

This is a boy dog...named...Silky. My, how masculine! :)
Sigh...Deeper sigh...
Chelsea with her heat-producing bookends, Emily and Mom.
Another view the ship master. Behind is his son, Mr. Jay.

'Ello Mum!
Isn't it funny how most people that live right off the lake have boats, jet skis, kayaks, or canoes? :)
Who thinks they know what THIS is?
Hmm, it seems the wind is a bit too much for them.
Father and Daughter

By the size of this house, the up-keep of the landscaping, and the flag hanging from the balcony, we figured the owner of this house must be a rich doctor or lawyer with a son that likes pirates. I wonder how close our guess was...? :D
Disembarking after a lovely voyage.
Getting ready to leave the next morning.
The last shot we got of the Mr. and Mrs.

They were such kind, gracious hosts and we thank the Lord for the time spent "fellowshipping" with them.

~Anna

Olivia's 13th Birthday Party!

2008-08-22T21:42:00.012-04:00

For My 13th Birthday my family threw me a birthday party on July 12th - but my birthday is actually on July 4th! It was a blast!!

Icing the beautiful cake!

The artist herself

Still Icing!

Stressful

The Finished Product!

Mother Dear!

The Beautiful table setting!

The Party Begins!!!

L to R: Mom, Emily, Me, Faith, And Stephanie!

Matching Women in the kitchen!

L to R: Stephanie, Hannah, Faith, Amy and Me!

L to R: Stephanie, the back of Me,Elise's head and Amy!

Tired B.B.

We also danced, and went swimming, It was the best Birthday party I have ever had!

Thank you Mom, Anna and Emily! I love you women!!

~Olivia Christine!

20 Years Ago Today...

2008-07-09T11:22:00.008-04:00

Our parents were bound in Holy matrimony!

This day, 20 years ago, Michael Joseph Stone and Julia Ann Goodwin made a covenant before God, family and friends to live as man and wife, "'Till death do us part."

Genesis 2:24
24 Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.

Psalm 127:3
Behold, children are a heritage from the LORD, the fruit of the womb is a reward.

I Corinthians 13:4-8a

4 Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; 5 does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; 6 does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; 7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 8 Love never fails...

Happy Anniversary, Dad and Mom! We love you and pray that the Lord will continue to richly bless your marriage as you strive to serve Him!

Ever loving you,

Anna, Emily, and Olivia

Dawn

2008-06-17T07:42:00.011-04:00

Last night (June 16th) we had a torrential downpour. Daddy called from work and asked me to take the garbage out early this morning. When I got to the road. I took one look across the street, turned tail and sprinted back to the house for my camera.

This is what I saw. I snapped this picture just moments before a cloud was blown away and the light changed from a golden hue to a whiter light...
...like this. Sigh.
A view down our street. The goats like to eat early in the morning when it is cool. Here we find Lyman (brown) and Duncan (white).

Hazy morning light...
A string of fence posts...
Clinging dew drop...

Imagine...you are standing under a tree. All around, you hear the sound of left-over rain and morning dew dripping from the surrounding trees. In the background, birds sing their morning melodies and they echo through the surrounding countryside. An occasional cat's meow greets your ears. A butterfly flits past you on yellow and black wings.

Behold, it is very good!
Just as you are lifting thanks to God for His marvelous creation...

...a helicopter soars overhead, drowning out the morning symphony with its infernal chopping. You laugh at the irony. Then, as quickly as it had come, the aircraft is gone. You are again free to revel in the music of morning. :)

A back view of our property...
The ever-faithful follower, Mr. Bingley.
A spider guarding her web in the grass.
Doesn't this look like a scene from Pride & Prejudice? I can just hear the Dawn piano arrangement playing in the background.

So, we live in Florida. Sure it rains like cats and dogs sometimes. We get bombarded by hurricanes almost every season. It gets so hot and muggy we think we can't breathe at times, and, it feels as though we're wrapped with a wet blanket when we walk outside. Of course all of these 'cons' to living in Florida seem a bit overwhelming...but then...God sends the rain and cooler weather to revive us and the planet He created. We can look on days such as this as a blessed break from the 'cons', a gift of renewal. Take time to thank Him for occasional cool mornings, refreshing the earth and our souls. It's in simple ways like this that the Creator blesses His people.

~Anna

Wedding Announcement!

2008-06-16T21:58:00.019-04:00

We are pleased to announce the Wedding Celebration of Andrew Blizzard to Rachael Haake. The joyous event took place at 3 o'clock p.m. June 14th. With guests smiling, chatting, the service was light and happy. God smiled down on the day Andrew and Rachael covenanted before Him.
Beaming faces greeted each person as we waited for the ceremony.

The church was decorated to a perfect 10...just lovely.
Soothing music enveloped us all as we entered into the sanctuary. Well done, Emily and Miss Susan!
Yards of tulle cascaded down from the ceiling to the chandeliers, creating a cozy yet formal effect.
Bows graced each pew down the center aisle.

Mother of the Bride.
Mother of the Groom.
Jimmy pulling his little brother Isaac down the aisle, the ring bearers.

Shortly after the above picture, Jimmy threw down the handle of the wagon and charged back down the aisle crying. His loving mother was waiting with open arms.Laughter bubbled from almost everyone. It was so sweet.

Unrolling the runner.
The first flower girl. I think she was a sister of the Bride.
Lydia Joy, sister of the Groom.

The air fills with the elegant music of Pachebelle's Canon.

The bride and her father emerge...

A collective gasp escapes from the cloud of witnesses...
The groom beams as both father and daughter exchange a loving embrace.

Stunning.
The Groom's men look on.
Bride's maids gazing.
Saying the vows.
After the exchange of rings.

Making a covenant before God.
Lighting the unity candle.
The Prayer was sung and played in honor of the Bride and Groom.
The first kiss as man and wife. Here we find Andrew in the process of dipping Rachael almost to the floor which gained a burst of chuckles from us...and...
...a hilarious gaze from the Groom's grandfather. After several moments of this amusing stare, Pastor Blizzard announced..

..."I'm shocked!!" The declaration set us guests nearly off our seats with roaring laughter.
Presenting, Mr. and Mrs. Andrew John Blizzard.
Sharon and Timothy Blizzard, brother and sister of the Groom.

And, we're off...to the reception site.

Matthew, Rebekah and Olivia peering over the handrail.
The reception hall, brimming with loved ones.

May I help you gentlemen? A bowl of chili, perhaps? :)
Mingling guests.
The Groom and most of his men.
The ever-faithful videographer, Matthew (brother of the Groom).
Daddy and Emily. (She took all of these reception pics.)

Chatting with Amy and Katie DeWitt. I greatly enjoyed talking with you and your family, ladies! :)
Dinner table discussions. It looks like Mrs. Hicks is enjoying herself.
Conversations by the river.
Rachael was deciding how best to throw the bouquet to the eager young ladies...
...She decided on the "Throwing-It-Straight-Back-Hitting-Someone-In-the-Face" approach. I hear it all worked out very well. LOL! :)

Momma decorating the getaway car. It looked right spiffy when all was said and done.
Making their Grand Exit.
The happy couple needed a key for the church, Daddy was only too happy to oblige. Andrew looks thrilled, no?
Picking up the lovely mess after the Bride and Groom departed.
Lydia sporting her red fingernails. She was so proud of them. :)

A battle cry.
Olivia, Lydia and Matthew investigating a military tank.
The reception was hosted at a Veterans Memorial Park. Lovely spot, I daresay!
Sharon (T-shirt over her bride's maid gown) and me (tux jacket and vest on). What a pair we made!
Emmy and Sharon.

Post-Reception-Cleanup mingling.
Em's art. :)
Good times!
A girl and her Goldfish.
Congradulations to Andrew and Rachael. May the God of Peace bless the life they now share!

~Anna

Stone Family Surprise

2008-06-01T18:57:00.026-04:00

Hey y'all!

This past Friday, I hosted a surprise party for my family. The special occasion? you may ask.

Anna turned 19 in April and graduated in May.
Olivia will be turning 13 in July.
My parents will be celebrating their birthdays in July.
And mom and dad are going to celebrate their 20th wedding anniversary in July.

Why were all these occasions rolled into one big event?

'Cause I wanted an excuse to throw a surprise party, of course :D. It was also an attempt to cheer up my family after our hard year.

Friday is the day Ms. Kricket comes over to give Anna fiddle lessons, so she was able to stay and help with so many details. She had also agreed to play the fiddle for the dance later that night. Here we see two of her children, Audrey and Johnny.

Matt came over Friday afternoon and practiced with Ms. Kricket. He also put the tiki torches up that we used to form our "dance floor". Thanks, Matt!

Getting ready for the party

Here they are practicing together for the first time. They did a wonderful job.

The first bunch to arrive was the Amundsen family. It was thought that everything was done, so we just took our time and fed the goats oranges...

Jean Marie, "my right arm" :D, preparing to exit the house to retrieve something for me! Thank you, Jean Marie for being so willing to do... stuff! :D And Josh looks stuck behind the door. LOL!

Waiting for my family to arrive... They had to leave the house around noon so that the party preparations could begin.

Peter, one of the faithful photographers...

"EMILY STOP!" called Peter to me amidst my frazzled nerves and frantic "powerwalks". "I can't stop Peter!" But he succeeded in getting me to stop and smile for 5 seconds! :D

Adam and Matt

Anticipation... EXCITEMENT! Not meditation (says dad! :D)

Here they.... go? Wait, where are they going?

Daddy was very courteous to let mom drive in first.

SURPRISE! HAPPY BIRTHDAY, ANNIVERSARY...

AND GRADUATION!

Next, in came Dad.

greetings

the party-goers

Da Boyz...

Find Mr. Fambrough's glasses :D

Most of the young ladies. Front row L-R: Gabbi, Melody, Olivia, back row L-R: Kathleen, Elise, Mariah, and Hannah... what precious gifts!

Gailanne and I pause for a pic... :D

Mattie Amundsen! What a peach!

Audrey Morose! Anna teaches her piano.

The lovely salads.

The "goods" (desserts!) LOL!

Anna really likes this pic, so... here ya go! LOL

Gracia Campana, Clair Orenczak, and Emma Bohannan

Chatting soon after the arrival

Me loverly mum!

Preparing to bless the meal!

Abigail's "tired" pose!

Anna and Paulina chatting

Providence Orenczak and yours truly

It was quite warm... 94 degrees I believe, so... everyone made good use of the pool!

On the porch getting dinner... "Hi Jeffrey! Nice smile."

Mrs. Krause and Mrs. Fambrough! What wonderful helpers they were!

Ms. Kricket chatting with my aunt Treva and Uncle Matt

The Three Musketeers! (Johnny Morose, Frankie Campana, and James Bohannan)

Hearty conversation... :D

Bliss!
Little girls feeding oranges to the goats...

Retrieving the oranges for the little girls to feed the goats...
Christian Fellowship

Abigail, Anna, and Lauren

Look at 'em eyes!

Paulina, Peter and Abigal

And whilst Jean Marie has the camera...

Kim and the photographer (Jean)... sisters

Paulina and Jean... the photographer again!

And again... only with me this time... :D

Gabbi Campana

Hannah Bohannan

The beginnings of the Virginia Reeling... note it was said "beginnings"... :D

How Sweet. L-R: Mattie, Emma and Gracia

1 2 3 4... 1 2 3 4...

The "band"

A side view... L-R: Ms. Kricket, Anna, Roger, and Matt

Some of the guys L-R: Joshua, Adam, and Joseph

The band playing "Rakes of Kildare"

Don't ya just get tired by watching them? Right arm, left arm...

The onlookers/dancers. L-R: One half of Mr. Hope :D, Mrs. Hope, Lauren, My grandma (Mrs. Wilbanks), Mrs. Amundsen, Jeffery, and Gailanne

Thank y'all SO much for making this a memorable occasion for my family! I couldn't have done it without ya! :D
~Emily

Barberville Spring Frolic 2008

2008-04-29T07:06:00.024-04:00

Hey everyone,

I'm updating you about the Barberville Spring Frolic we attended this past weekend, April 26-27. We had a wonderful time jamming, dancing, listening to bands, learning about all sorts of instruments/types of bluegrass music, meeting new people... etc. :)

The Spring Frolic was hosted at the Barberville Pioneer Settlement. The buildings were so unique and beautifully old! Sorry that we don't have many pictures. The memory on mom's camera was almost full when we got there and we really didn't want to take a ton of time to clear pics off. Anyway, hope y'all enjoy...!

I will begin my post with a random picture of a peacock! :) Not only were we at a pioneer settlement, but it appeared to be a zoo/farm as well! LOL!

Here is the first group we got pictures of :) Jubal's Kin. L-R: Gailanne (fiddle, banjo), Roger(guitar, mandolin), and Jeffrey Amundsen (bass).

Gailanne and Roger playing "Blackberry Blossom"

And... a flower setup mom really liked :)

Here we see myself, Olivia, and Anna preparing to enter the old school house. This is the only "posed" picture that was taken of us :)

Anna and Olivia contra dancing together, here shown promenading.

I sat this round out, so I was able to take a few neat shots of everyone dancing. In this pic, you can see all my lovely family...

The Morse Family band. L-R: Matthew: Fiddle, banjo, guitar, Leah: Fiddle, Abigail: Guitar, Seth: Guitar, Aaron: Mandolin, Dawn (mother): Mandolin, bass

Coty Granatosky and the Men of the House perform "Tammlin"

LOL (lots of lawnmowing) just like the good old days!

A sweet display of affection between the sound man and his wife...

Anna, Mrs. Kricket, and Seamus Chalmers jamming with a big group

Mr. Ty Chalmers and his wife, Marguerite

Anna and Mrs. Kricket

Mr. David, Anna, Mrs. Kricket, and Seamus playing "The Ashokan Farewell"

All in all we had a wonderful time at the Spring Frolic and hope to go back for the Fall Jamboree!

~Emily

Yearbook Pictures

2008-04-07T19:47:00.020-04:00

We recently had pictures taken for the homeschool group we are a part of. Below are the Stone Ladies photos. Many thanks to Mrs. Krause for organizing and coordinating the event!

Anna - Grade 12 - Senior

Emily - Grade 11 - Junior

Olivia - Grade 7 - Middleschooler :)

We had a jolly time fellowshipping with some dear friends, long after the pictures were taken. They are all such a blessing!
~Anna

Barberville Spring Frolic

2008-04-07T15:36:00.023-04:00

Hello Everyone!
On April 26-27, our family will be attending a Spring Frolic.
"What is that," you may ask.
Let me tell you about it. It is a family-friendly music festival. The days will be filled with live music, barn style dancing (and classes), music workshops, jam sessions, a crankin' A model car show, and much more. We are really looking forward to this 'frolic'. The reason for our posting this is so we can invite our blog viewers to attend this festival (if you would like :). The information for the frolic can be found on the links below...or...if you have great eyesight, you can read the information on this teeny tiny flyer (only jesting). :D

We greatly look forward to attending our first music festival as a family and seeing what the Lord will do in our lives through this experience together.

http://www.floridafolkmusic.org/springfling2008.htm (this link takes you directly to the flyer shown)
http://www.pioneersettlement.org/
http://www.folkfiddle.com/barber.htm
There are also camp sites available in the area. We plan to pitch camp for the weekend.
If any of you out there plan to come, we would love to hear from you about it!
May the grace of our Lord overshadow you.
~Anna

77 years...November 8, 1930- March 28, 2008

2008-03-28T19:09:00.017-04:00

Hey y'all...
I'm just posting to let you know that Walter Wilbur Fitz (mom's dad) just passed away today. He'd been in the hospital for a week, he went in with a high fever and the next day he was in ICU. The doctors believe he died from septic shock, which is brought on by an infection in the blood. We were blessed with the opportunity to go down and visit him for a few days. He wasn't cognizant during our whole visit though... We know that the Lord will be glorified in this. Please pray for our step-grandma. We don't know a funeral date yet. I'll post more when we know more! Thanks y'all!

~Emily

This is a pic of Mom and grandpa in 2005 at my aunt and uncle's wedding.

Time Spent with Mimae and Pop Pop

2008-02-20T19:11:00.021-05:00

Several weeks ago, our family traveled to Inverness to help Mimae and Pop Pop (daddy's parents) with some spring cleaning about their grounds. We had a lovely time serving them!

Daddy and his noble father.
Here we find Pop Pop's workshop. Think you not it a most interesting shape? Mimae said it holds up very well to hurricanes, I guess the wind just blows around it.

Pop Pop is an avid guitar player and has several beautiful guitar bodies like this that he works on. I love the carved eagle bridge, it's so unique!

Here we find the tractor shed. It also houses lots of Pop Pop's tools.

The wash house and green house.
Momma's artistic flair.

Mimae has many lovely plants that she diligently tends.

Clover

Gorgeous!

I don't know what this striking plant is.

A charming wagon

Olivia was having great fun with Pop Pop's grabbing tool. She went about grasping things such as hands, feet, oranges, and even B.B. :)
Huzzah! We got to jam with Grandpa! Pop Pop used to fiddle with his grandfather Delmar Stone. It is fun to continue the legacy and learn a lot of family history at the same time! Come to find out, Great-Great-Grandpa Delmar was a 6 ft 4 inch Scotch-Irishman with flaming red hair.
I think our playing put B.B. to sleep. :D
Now for a brief intermission from playing. Mimae and Pop Pop showed us a program from a church show they had once. We were thoroughly confused about how to pronounce one last name.
Okay, we will give blog recognition to the person who can tell us how to pronounce the last name, third up from the bottom: Hrynczyszyn. :D :D
Like father, like son.
Playin' a Polka...

Olivia learning the art of crochet at Mimae's knee. Precious moment.

The next day, we all threw ourselves into work around the house. What fun!
Daddy and Pop Pop worked on jacking up the trailer. The settling trailer had pulled away from the addition built around it, letting in cold air and small pests. Praise the Lord, they got it fixed!

In addition to stabilizing the foundation, windows needed washing. Momma and Emily diligently performed that task.The Stone family patriarch overseeing the activities.
The bliss of modern day clothes washin'.
Sigh... :)Fantastic job Daddy! Nobody jacks up a house like you do!!! :D
Still washin'...

Mimae sweeping after the house was raised.

...and washin'. :) The widows were spotless and beautiful by the time Mom and Emmy finished. Well done, I say!
I spear-headed the kitchen clean-up.
Hi B.B.!!
We brought Mimae a rose bush. The blooms reminded us all of brilliant Florida sunsets.
We were so blessed by spending time with Mimae and Pop Pop! They are such a joy to all our hearts. God bless them!

~Anna

Our Voyage to the Youth Convention & Touring D.C.

2008-01-29T21:09:00.000-05:00

On December 30th; Daddy, Emily, and I traversed the eastern seaboard terrain in a long journey to Baltimore, MD. Our trek, however, took a detour to VA first to stay the night with a host family before trekking onward and upward. :) Above (or is it below?) are the pictures of our time at one of our host family's favorite eateries...The Silver Diner.
Our driver, doing what he does best!
The Silver Diner...obviously! ;)
Daddy in front of the eatery.
Making a song selection. In the right side of the picture, we see Daddy's hand gesticulating about how these musical contraptions used to be the rage in his day.
Daddy and Eric. We stayed with Eric and his brother's family the night past. The arrangements were lovely and we are very grateful!
Look at 'em muscles!!!

After parting ways at breakfast time, we headed to D.C. for some capitol sightseeing! What a lovely time was had. Here are pics from our lovely jaunt.

On our way to the District of Columbia
Washington Monument and the Jefferson Memorial
Smithsonian Institute of...Something (?)
Neat...
The mall...it looks like the color of the road is split just down the middle

So begins our family photo-shoot in front of the Capitol building...

...And so ends our family photo-shoot. :D :D :D
Washington Monument, meet the Stone Monument. :D :D
Shadows on the steps

Emily and I
Another view of the Smithsonian.
Daddy wonders if they are rewriting American History during the renovation.
Hmm, they're admitting that they don't even understand how evolution could have started on it's own in the first place. Interesting.
Daddy with some iron man...Harry Winston, methinks.
The Hope Diamond, 45.2 karats of shiny...rock.
Daddy and Emily with a Giraffe skeleton. We took this picture for Olivia who loves Giraffes.
Silhouette

Later in D.C. we met up with the Blizzard family and Hailee Mann. Clockwise from the top: Peter, Sharon, Hailee, Emily, me, Matthew, Miss Susan, and Anna :)

Leisurely sauntering down a gravel path
Sunset in our Nation's Capitol

And...another view of the Smithsonian. I couldn't help it!!! The building is so magnificent, 'twould be a shame not to take several pictures of it!
One last view of the Capitol building.
Bye D.C.!!!!

~Anna

On to Baltimore we go...

Youth Convention - Part I

2008-01-29T19:21:00.001-05:00

Here we are at church!!!!!!!!!!!

An inside view of Pilgrim Bible Presbyterian Church. 'Twas lovely!
There was lots of Cheese-ing goin' on!

Sharon pontificating about some picture or another. :)
Here is Dad's first attempt at taking a picture with the camera above his head. It's great except he kinda' missed our heads. :D
There we go! L-R: me, Danielle, Heidi, Katrina, Madelin, Meghan, Emily, Anna and Miss Susan
Hello Hailee! How are you this fine evenin'?
Emily and Sharon smile for a pic, taken with my pirated camera.

Boo!
Smile Sharon!! :D

The following pictures are of New Year's Eve at the Henderson home. We had us a blast, we did!
And so we wait for 2008... Our little group of Henderson home stayer-inners. We were: Emily, me, Rachel, Christy, and Madelin.
To pass the time, we took some random pictures. This one shows the diversity of pajama pant fabrics. Music notes, love-struck Eskimos, peppermint candy, and floral prints are all the rage I see.

My 'non-patterned', denim-skirted knees ;)
Almost there...!!!!!!!
...4, 3, 2, 1HAAPPPYYY NNEEEEWWWWW YYEEEEAAAAARRRR!!!!! Okay everyone, run outside!

We welcomed the new year by banging on pots with spoons.
Bang bang, klink, bonga, klang, ding dong, rat-a-tat-tat, smash, klunk...accompanied by lots of shouting! :D

Our merry band. All are present, except for Rachel. She didn't come out on account of not wanting to dirty her socks. Tsk tsk! ;)
Madelin, Mrs. Henderson, and Christy huddle to generate some relative warmth while watching the soda bottle bombs explode. That was really neat to witness!
Banging on pots and pans to celebrate New Years. Hmm...what a phenomena, I'd never heard of such a thing in my life. Everyone else seems to know about it though...sigh...where have I been these 18 years past?!?! :D
Mrs. Henderson and Annie after the early morning festivities. Happy New Year!!!!!
Yeah...Happy New Year. I'm going to bed!

Goodnight Emily. You've been a real trooper!

The next day, Pastor Burd (of our host church), took us to see a centuries-old landmark. This stone was most likely erected in the time of General Washington (afore he turned President).
On this stone is etched the "Cursed be he who removes his brother's ladmark..." scripture passage.
Daddy attempting to decipher the weather-worn words of wisdom.
My glove bedeked hand upon the stone of old.

Anna, one of the last of our party to touch it.
A view of the church's parking lot...fascinating!
Mr. Nathan waitin' in line for the viddles.
Mmm, jello puddin'
Danielle and MEL (Meghan Elizabeth Landry ;)

Miss Heidi Martin and my Emmy!
Here, we find a musician of the humblest means, trying to carve out an honest living in this cruel world. The bittersweet melodies waft through the air.
Astounded by his melodramatic playing and the beauty of his compositions, lookers on are compelled to support the poor man in his gifting. Change, bills, anything is strewn at his side...a small token of their thanks for his lowly gift. He is ecstatic...blessed!
At first, the man humbly attempts to decline the generosity. His plea: that his music gives him joy, and that is payment enough.
BUT...After much encouragement and praise, he reluctantly accepts the donations.
**In the pictures above, Pastor Len was just practicing on the auto harp. A group of us thought it would be fun to give money as a joke. It seems he found the prank rather hilarious. We had many a good laugh from this little escapade! :D**

Cousins (Katie and Anna) smile whilst Nathan leaves his mark in the snapshot. I can't decide whether he is shouting or just making a face.
Lady Emily gracefully descends the steps to the ever aromatic dinner hall.
Mr. Blizzard and his marvelous daughter. We very recently noticed the lights above his head...believe me...that was not intentional. :) I seem to have a knack for these unintentional silly pictures. : /
I was trying to get Danielle to turn around and smile with me for the camera. However, she is one of those "camera elusive" people and simply would not turn about...even under extreme duress. :D
Boys will be boys
Music Makin'
My Knight.

The night before we traveled to Philadelphia, Emily tried on various layers she planned to wear on the 'morrow. (I LOVE THIS PICTURE!!!! 'Tis hilarious!)
Doesn't she look well insulated?

~Anna

Youth Convention - Part II

2008-01-11T18:16:00.001-05:00

On our way to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania!!!

Driving, driving, driving...nigh unto an hour and a half did we drive.

Emily thought this was a magnigicent mural. The whole time I was trying to get a decent picture of it, I could hear her questions,"Anna, are you taking a picture?" or "Look! Did you see that, Anna?'' or "Anna, did you get a picture???" She was relieved when my answer was affirmative. :D
The Liberty Bell
The troup

Pastor Jim Blizzard standing on a bench making an announcement.

A homeless person keeping their feet warm.
Yo Nathan.

Here is the picture you requested, Matthew! I hope you like it. :D

My ever-faithful purse carrier! Thank you Dad!!!
Patriotic

Skippin' along
Emmy ;)
Hey, where's the food?
Some random people taking pictures of President Washington

The abode of the lady who first constructed our nation's flag, Mrs. Betsy Ross.
Miss Madelin by the Irish Memorial
Emmy darlin', the social butterfly.
My first picture of an alley. Spoooookkkeeeyyyyyy!
Look, it's the Leaning Church of Philly! *ha ha...ahem*
Wing-flaps...check...ready for take off, over. :D
A Resting Place...
The man 'imself...Benjamin Franklin ;)
Who is that masked woman?? Oh, 'tis the half frozen Danielle. I love your new look, dear! LOL!
Ms. Susan and I were laughing hysterically when I took this picture. Whenever she would try to swat her hair down away from her face, it woul stick to her cheeks and chin again. The dry air was certainly conducting lots of static electricity. :D

Back at church...

The stain glass window in the Pilgrim Bible Presbyterian Church: Declare His Glory!

The Youth Choir

Directed by Pastor Len Pine
Singing: Lovely Child, Holy Child
Abba Father
The talented musicians
Our esteemed panel of pastors and elders. At this point in the conference, the students got to ask the teachers questions. We asked about things from a Christian work ethic to who each man would vote for for president. This was a very nice session.

One of the elders, Mr. Bean.
Our hosting Pastor, Mr. Burd.
The Lakeland church pastor, Mr. Blizzard.
A New York pastor, Mr. Pine.
The Collingswood pastor, Dr. Spencer. Zared, myself, and Madelin

Katrina and Emily
Mrs. Heather Bean and another young lady
MY TWIN!!! Not really, it's just another Anna. :D :D

Our family with Pastor and Mrs. Burd. They were such a delight, joyfully serving the Lord with all their hearts!

After the YC, we headed to our friend Paulina's grandparent's home for a night before we headed home. We had a lovely time with them. Here is a view into their kitchen. They had a very spacious home...perfect for hospitality! The food Mrs. Navarro made was delicious!
Sadly, we didn't get a picture of our host and hostess. As soon as I took the picture of the kitchen, my lense fogged up. So I snapped a still of Dad before it became impossible to see through. ;)

Daddy suprised us by taking us to the home where we lived (and I was born) in Norfolk, VA. It was lovely to see the place. We sure built memories while looking at it.

Apparently, the owners of the home have made some huge changes to the exterior. Daddy says they've taken off the old siding and moved the front door to another side of the house. They also added a chimney and a small balcony. He just couldn't believe how much everything had changed.

After a few minutes of pictures and spoken memories, we all hopped in the car. Daddy soon pulled in front of another home so he could show us what the house used to look like.

We got to this one, and he explained that the siding looked exactly like that, and the color was similar, and the garage was in the same layout, and...wait a minute...that is the house!!!!!!!!!!
Daddy was seized with a fit of roaring laughter when he realized the blunder. :D He and Isaac used to play basket ball in the driveway there. Isaac used to bury Emily and I in leaves in the front yard. Even though we didn't remember all those things, it still felt nice to be there again.
Me and Em with the right home. :D

Thus begins our final trip...Homeward Bound are we!!!

Scenery
Our most faithful, loyal, devoted, masterful driver...do ya get the picture? He's good. :)
Emily thought this a most interesting name for a supermarket.
Cranes

When one is shut up in a car for hours on end, one can come up with some pretty whacky pictures.

Here is a story about the life of an Almond Rock candy.

The treat is unwrapped... gaze at the nutty, chocolaty exterior...
Smell the heavenly aroma...
Taste the crunchy culinary creation... *mmm*
Simply Delicious!

Life expectancy for an Almond Rock candy in Anna's fingers: about 37.4 seconds. :P
Anna? Where's all the candy?!?!

This sign at Burger King kept us laughing for a while...we found it quite amusing!

Listening to some lively, upliftin' music. A family favorite!
Emily was having difficulty falling asleep with the sun burning in her eyes (can't imagine why ;), so she invented The Napper's Best Friend! All one must do is remove the hood from their coat, turn it about, and button it behind their head. It works quite well, so I've been told.
Note the sunglasses under the Napper's Best Friend. I wonder why that is...? Maybe they're for extra UVA protection.Still driving...

Zzzz...

~Anna

(PS) Many a'thanks to

Anna Blizzard

Sharon Blizzard

Danielle Blizzard

Emily Stone

Zared Bean

Dad Stone

and all others that I may not have mentioned

for help with the picture takin'! We wouldn't have had so many lovely pictures to choose from without you! The Lord richly bless ya!

Uniting Church and Family

2008-01-06T21:06:00.000-05:00

This November past, our family took a trip to Wake Forest, North Carolina for the Uniting Church and Family Conference put on by Vision Forum.

On our voyage up, we stopped for a rest and this brilliant, crimson tree caught our eyes.
We must have been a sight to those Northerners! A bunch of Floridians gawking at some ole red leaves. : / We stood and waited about 5 extra minutes for Momma to all but completely stuff the pages of her Bible with the captivating foliage! She could barely close it!! :)

Here's a hind view of the front seat riders. Daddy, B.B., and Momma.

Aww...po wittow B.B. wooks tie-ud!!!

Let me take a moment to introduce everyone to the Jeremiah Pechin family. This family was a true blessing to ours and a lovely example of Christian hospitality. We thoroughly enjoyed our stay with this wonderful clan that our Lord is shaping into His likeness. Thank you Pechin Family!!!

During our stay, we somehow managed not to get a picture of the Pechins as a whole. So...I have scraped together an assortment of pictures to show what the entire family looks like. I am so sorry we didn't get a family picture though! Oh well, the Lord knows.

The Lord and Lady of the Manor (on the left), Mr. Jeremiah and Mrs. Kerri.

They have 5 wonderful children, with one on the way! Praise the Lord!!!

Soirsea (number 4) and Miss Moira (number 2)
Flannery (number 3) and Isabella (number 1)
And the baby on the right is Jedediah (number 5)

Hey, I didn't say they were wonderful pictures! :D

These stills were taken at the conference.

Star-Struck...

Em and Livie leisurely sauntering in a picturesque meadow.

Several speakers graced us with their presence.
Here are some of them:

Dr. Voddie Baucham
Pastor Scott Brown

Mr. Andrew Crowther led worship for all the saints gathered together.
Our Spiritual Bread.

I think Flannery got a little sleepy during one of the sessions. :)Sweet young ladies
The panel of Family Integrated Church pastors

Moira, Isabella, Olivia, and Flannery; jolly group, eh?

Spending time with two of the Hammon sisters, Godly young women are they! Their father pastors a family integrated church.

Yea, hooray, and Amen...people from Florida!! And not just anywhere in Florida...less than an hour away! Mr. and Mrs. Orenczak smile for us.Ahem, a random picture of Olivia's footsie. LOL!
Another young lady from Florida. This is Miss Lauren Hope, she and her family live just over an hour North of us. We so enjoyed talking with her!

Okay, from left to right, we have: Moira, Melissa, Flannery, Olivia, Charlotte, Annie, Alena, Isabella, Niecie, and Andre. *gasp...pant*

On our last evening, we had a glorious group of people gathered in the Pechin home. In attendance was the Mark Pethel family (Tennessee), the Noah Orenczak family (Florida), Mike Griggs (Florida), the Michael Stone family (Florida), and...of course...the Jeremiah Pechin family (North Carolina).

The gang!!

Another snapshot, plus Mrs. Pechin and minus Mike Griggs. Many thanks to the Lord for the fellowship of His saints!
And, for entertainment this evenin', we have the Dynamic Duo of Mr. Pechin and his daughter, Isabella. She shall be gracing us with her piano forte skills and he shall...be...doing his own thing. :)
Graceful Fingers
Hello Mr. Pethel! Havin' a nice evenin' are we?

Gettin' the grub...
...and eatin' the grub! ;)

And now...an Opera number!!! Precious Faith!
Playing
CHEESE GALS!

On the way home (Sunday night), we met up with the Orenczak family and had a lovely dinner at...WENDY'S!!!
Here's the family...

On the left: Claire, Mrs. Orenczak, Momma, and Emily...On the right: Providence, Mr. Orenczak. Daddy, myself, Elise, and Kathleen...Olivia was taking the picture.
Elise
Kathleen
Claire
Providence

Arm Wrestling Match
The sweet promise of food! A lively conversation with Miss Claire. She told me all about the time her sister lost a tooth. :D
Behold! This is my most favorite Olivia in the whole wide world!!!

Headin' Home...

Daddy and Momma

Emily Sweets
Livie and Me

We were all quite spent but so happy to have attended the conference! The Lord has richly blessed our new friendships that were made. We give thanks to Him and praise His holy name!

~Anna

"The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit." Philemon 1:25

Amen.

Hungry Goats + Oranges = Full Bellies

2007-12-26T12:49:00.000-05:00

I think the title pretty much speaks for itself. :)

Ooo, y'all...lookie, lookie!!!!! :P

Mmm...simply scrumptious!
Hear Ye, Hear Ye! All lookers on are now beholding their first sight of Super Goat.

Yum yum!
Alas, poor little Nellie, this is our only goat that does not care for oranges. I'm so sorry for her, I am.

Chomp

Packin' up

Hey...where're you goin'?????

'Tis the Season...for Cleaning!

2007-12-25T17:56:00.001-05:00

On Friday last, Emily and I trekked over to Honey and Pa Pa's for some good ole fashioned cleanin'. What a blast was had!

A spectacular sunrise...this is our view just outside the porch. Sigh...
Florida Winter-Footwear
To Grandmother's house we go...

WE'RE HERE!!!!!

Emily and Pa Pa filling up a bucket with water for cleansing the cabinets.
Grandpa, turning on the heater for us chilled Florida gals.

Cleaning cabinets requires precision, high-tech tools...such as:
A wash cloth and basin filled with warm, sudsy water.

Simply submerge the cloth in the drink, give it a good swishing, and ring out the excess liquid.

Three cheers for the wash rag! One of a Domestic Engineer's best friends. Hurrah!
A gentle wiping regimen is all your cabinets need to keep them performing beautifully!
Make sure you reach wwaaaayyyyy back in the corners to keep them squeaky clean.

Vacuuming is an art. A skill. A necessity...and not for the faint of heart. :)

First one must assemble the sum of parts required for the vacuum's operation.
Back and forth, back and forth. This is the way we clean the floor, clean the floor, clean the floor! LOL!One must also be very careful not to tangle oneself in the hosery of the device. This could cause a considerable loss in sucking power.

Last, but certainly not least, you must never...
...EVER...

...attack the camera person!!

~Anna

(PS) Whilst cleaning, we stumbled upon some unexpected treasures. Glory be!!!!!!!!

Our discovered beauties included: triple antibiotic ointment (Ooo), a paper clip (Ahh), and a Gold Dollar (wow, something actually valuable!). What jolly finds!

Have a blessedly grand day everyone!!! : D

'Tis the Season...for a Progressive Dinner!

2007-12-18T20:36:00.000-05:00

On the evenin' of Friday, December the 14th, 4 families had the honor of hosting and co-hosting one of three courses of a progressive dinner.

Stop #1 The appetizers were had at the warm home of the Edward Fambrough family. We were graciously served southern style cheese soup, turkey and ham rolls, hot crab dip, fresh citrus (oranges and grapefruit), and cheese crusted olives and hot dogs. The list continues, I am sure, but my memory provides no other details aside from the glorious beverages served. These consisted of mouth waterin' punch, refreshing ice water, and (get this) egg-less eggnog. After hearing the 'egg-less' tid-bit of information, we have thenceforth lovingly referred to the drink as merely Nog. My how original! *HA* What a joy this leg of the progression was! Thank you Fambroughs of Sherwood Estates!

Stop #2 Our next place of consumption was the colorful Paul Krause home. This, the main course, was co-hosted by Mrs. Monica Krause (lady of the manor) and Mrs. Kimberly Morrison. We were presented with an array of delicious foods, such as: chicken cordon bleu, baked ham, mashed potatoes, green beans, rice pilaf, broccoli casserole, squash casserole, sweet potatoe casserole (the exact number of casseroles escapes me momentarily), and raspberry pineapple punch. Oh, nigh unto the brim were we stuffed with their scrumptious concoctions! My tummy sets a'rumblin' just thinkin' back on it! Thank you dear ladies...thy work, once again, exceeds expectation!

Here are a few snapshots from the Krause's home.

A table, set for royalty. Plus or minus a few plates and cups. :)
And we move in...for a closer view.
Now for a rousing game of Chess.

She contemplates...long and hard...making a move with deliberate precision. Pray...who shall emerge victorious??

Mrs. Fambrough and Mrs. Krause, respectively. Smile ladies!! :)

Oh how charming...Paulina and I converse aside a grand piano forte. All the while, Paulina twirls her brother's tie about her finger. Good evenin' Peter! It's glad I am to see you too. Josh is effectively dismissing the camera. Well done.
A family photo shoot always turns out to be a lengthy process.

First, one must strategically place each family member so that their stature and aesthetic qualities appear to their greatest advantage.

Next, a 'Stand In' must be acquired in order to test lighting, composition, among other such trifles. Here, Lady Jean is acting as my understudy in order to properly frame and compose the family portrait. Way to go Milady!
And the final result is a well exposed, cozy Christmas family portrait.

For more tips on Photography Made Easy, tune in next week to........oh...ahem........I'm getting a bit carried away. Sorry. :D

Jean Marie's and my rendition of Grant Wood's painting, American Gothic.

Very innovative, think you not? :D :D

Sadly, we have not pictures of our joyous time spent at the Fambrough's home (Stop #1). Thusly, I shall feebly attempt to paint a word picture for all you readers!

***Imagine, if you will, walking into a cozy hallway from an unlocked garage door. As you glide to the inside, a loverly smell alerts your senses. The aromas of baked cheeses, simmerin' soup, cold cut ham, nog :), and Christian hospitality. A wonderful combination for the "weary" traveler. :D The sight of long-time friends is inviting and creates a jolly atmosphere. One by one you meet your comrades and praise The Almighty for His gift of friends. Laughter wafts through the air. Like sweetness on the tongue, so is the sound of happiness to the ears.***

I hope these words give you at least a glimpse of the merrymaking going on in the abode of the Fambrough family that night.

Stop #3 The Michael Stone residence had the pleasure of hosting the final course of the progressing dinner. We attempted to finish the deed of stuffing our guests. And we did so by way of cruel and unforgiving means: apple crisp, chocolate~mint cookies, walnut tarts, and (the final culprit) peach cobbler. *dramatic music*
"How could you?!?!" you might ask.
"Well, 'twas quite easy and painless," is our reply. "I don't think our victims minded much either." :D

Our decorations consisted mainly of Brazilian pepper berries and branches. Of which we have a plethora.
Walnut tarts...small but very tasty indeed.
The chocolate~mint cookies turned out to be a big hit. Thank goodness for there was a small mountain of them.
And the peach cobbler smelled just peachy. *he he he...ahem*

So begins the sisters photo shoot...
Kimberly and Jean, sweet sisters... Paulina and Emily, sisters in our Lord...
Olivia and I, dear sisters...

Behold! The Sisterhood of the Traveling Diners. Wow, that was cheesey! :)

Josh and Peter reluctantly smile for a snapshot for photo history.

Adam and Matt pontificate (please look it up) whilst eating and strumming. :D

MUSIC TIME!!!

Our three main guitarists: Mr. Fambrough, Mr. Morrison, and Mr. Dad :)
What an expression rich snapshot.
I look deeply concentrated. Paulina seems to have lost her place in the song. And I can only assume that Jean Marie is laughing at Paulina's antics.
Here we find Matthew following with his guitar. Right on down the line we see Mrs. Morrison, Olivia, Adam, and Mrs. Fambrough.
Dad trying out the new, used bass guitar while Mr. Morrison looks on.

Mr. and Mrs. Fambrough share a spot on the sofa while warming up for the evening carols.

Momma and I pause for a picture.

Following the eats and carols, our party partook in some Virginia Reelin'. Sadly, these pictures below were not taken during the exciting event, but merely afore the festivities began. Mayhaps later we shall pilfer pictures of the dance from another's camera. :) That would be grand!

Daddy and Momma breaking in the dancin' turf. I'm not sure if you can see, but there are two rows of tiki torches wrapped with Brazilian pepper. Later, these were set a'lite and we danced merrily up and down betwixt the torches. What fun!
Momma is gesticulating about how we can get the music loud enough for dancing. No worries, we figured somthin' out.
Resting places for the lookers on. The bench to the right is a recycled car seat, doesn't it look comfortable?
Preparing to depart for an evenin' of food, fellowship, and...well...romping!

And a blessed time was had by all! Many thanks to the hospitable families and our gracious Lord!

~Anna

Isaac's Memorial

2007-10-15T20:15:00.000-04:00

God's Delightful Gift

Isaac Nathaniel Goodwin

August 25, 1975 - September 29, 2007

Our most beloved man of the hour.
Isaac and his precious, adored wife, Susan Marie Goodwin.

Isaac with his son, Isaac Nathaniel Goodwin II. A delight to our hearts.

Isaac with his daughter, Brenna McKinley Goodwin. A joyful breath of fresh air.
Isaac and his great father, Daniel Lester Goodwin.
He and his loving Mother, Julia Ann Stone.

He and his step-father, Michael Joseph James Stone.

Isaac and his dear, oldest "kid-sister", Anna Grace Stone.

Isaac with his next gal, Emily Rachael Stone.
Isaac and his baby sis, Olivia Cristine Stone

Memorial to Isaac:

Our beloved son and brother, Isaac Nathaniel Goodwin, succumbed to injuries received when he failed to negotiate a curve while riding his Suzuki Bandit motorcycle in Sacramento, California on Thursday, September 27, 2007. After valiant efforts by the trauma unit at Roseville Sutter Hospital in Roseville, California to resuscitate Isaac, the extensive injuries to his brain, heart, lungs and spleen were more than from which his poor body could recover. The surgeon described his accident as “non-survivable”, and their most heroic efforts to save our dear one failed...on Saturday, the 29th of September, 2007, Isaac was received into Glory with our Heavenly Father.

Isaac is survived by his dear wife, Susan Goodwin, his son, Isaac Nathaniel Goodwin II (8 1/2-years-old), his daughter, Brenna McKinley Goodwin (7-years-old); his father and step-mother, Daniel and Debbie Goodwin; his mother and step-father, Julia and Michael Stone; his three sisters, Anna Grace, Emily Rachael and Olivia Christine Stone; his paternal grandmother, Nelda Goodwin; his maternal grandmother and step-grandfather,Margaret and Gene Wilbanks, and his maternal grandfather and step-grandmotherWalter and Cheryl Fitz.

Isaac means “laughter” and Nathaniel means “gift of God”. Isaac grew into his name and brought delight to everyone he knew...family, friends, acquaintances, and co-workers. Not only was he a gift to his family, but also to all who knew him in this life. The recipients of his liver, a 7-year-old boy and a 50-year-old person, and the recipients of his kidneys, an 8-year-old girl and a 15-year-old girl must believe their miracle of life was the greatest sacrifice made by another person. Since Isaac's homegoing, we have witnessed miraculous assurances of God’s love and mercy being poured out on us. We remember the consolations the Lord has given us during this time and are especially thankful that we were able to go visit Isaac and his family July 31st through August 9th of this year. We had a wonderful time of laughter, delight, reminiscing, and bonding. Please don't presume that you have tomorrow....do what the Lord lays on your heart today. Live every minute so that you do not have any regrets, for God is Sovereign, and He numbers our days.

We have sweet, poignant, constant memories at this time, and although we are confident that we will be met at the gates of Glory someday by Isaac, our tears continue to flow freely as we come to grips with this physical loss. The past is replayed trusting in God's Sovereignty, the present is faced by casting our cares on Him, and the anticipated future is grieved knowing that God is our Sole Provider. God is giving us the grace moment by moment to endure, and we trust that He will continue to reveal His purpose for Isaac’s life and death to us. As his mother, I believe God will continue to bless Isaac’s testimony.

Our deep thanks for all of your prayers during these difficult days...we have been upheld on the wings of prayer, and God's love has been a shelter in this storm. Please continue to pray for all who have been touched by Isaac's passing...we're all grieving in different ways. We understand that Isaac belongs to the Lord and we were given the gift of having him in our lives for 32 years. Now he is Home - being loved more perfectly than he ever has been, understanding all the whys and seeing our Lord face to face. We love him and always will.

The days preceding Isaac's viewing, interment, and California memorial service were filled with what seemed like a million details, emotional strain, and prayer...more than I could ever have imagined. Susan continues to have so very many details to attend to in California and her family and friends are helping her every step of the way, but she will continue to need our prayers and support. Until now, I did not comprehend the powerful impact of a phone call, a card, a meal, a word of encouragement, a hug or a smile to one in shock and bereavement. Thank you so much to all who have contributed in any way...every single expression of concern and love ministers in ways unspeakable to us.

A memorial service will be held for Isaac Nathaniel Goodwin on October 20th. If you are able to attend, you are welcome to join us in remembering our years with Isaac and his homegoing to our Heavenly Father.

Being held in God's loving arms,

Michael, Julia, Anna, Emily and Olivia Stone

32 Years...Aug. 25, 1975 - Sept. 28, 2007

2007-09-29T00:49:00.000-04:00

Friends and Family,

Our dear Isaac Nathaniel Goodwin (a beloved husband, father, son, brother, nephew, grandson, and friend) is resting eternally in the arms of Jesus.

Please pray...without ceasing.

~Anna

A quick note of appreciation to all who have rallied to our aid and comfort (II Cor 1:4), and those who have come along side us (paracletes) to superintend our farm. May God reward you according to your faithful labors.
Our hearts will be heavy for a long time and yet we rest...
In the Shadow of the Almighty (Ps 91)

Michael J. Stone, step-father

Update...

2007-09-28T21:35:00.000-04:00

Hello All,

Our dear son and brother, Isaac, is in very critical condition as of the last call we received.

The doctors have said that he has brain damage and they're not sure the extent of it yet. He is still unresponsive and is not able to communicate. We have also heard that his right arm is broken, in addition to all his other injuries. They have not been able to work on correcting his arm yet because his heart has not been consistently stabilizing his blood pressure (because of the cardiac contusion). As far as we know he is still on a ventilator and a lung is still collapsed.

Amidst all this heartache is the wonderful comfort of knowing our Lord and Savior has a purpose and plan for everything that happens. When you pray, please include Isaac's wife (Susan) and children (Nathan and Brenna)...that the God of all peace would visit them. Also ask the Lord to lead the doctors administering to our loved one. Pray that He will grant them wisdom in dealing with this situation.

Momma, Pa Pa, and Honey are CA right now, comforting the family. They have also been permitted to sit with Isaac. Please pray that the Lord would give them the words to speak, 'wonderful words of life.' We earnestly thank you all for supplications on behalf of our beloved son and brother. Pray without ceasing.

~Anna~

Here is a face to put with dear Isaac's name.

God Bless Him!

Update on Isaac...

2007-09-28T07:03:00.000-04:00

Hi everyone,
My mom and dad along with Anna and Olivia left for the airport about 20 minutes ago. My brother, Isaac, is in very critical condition. He has a cardiac contusion (bruise on his heart), the doctors have had to recesitate him, his brain is swelling, and he as a whole and his blood pressure is very unstable. Please, please, PLEASE! keep praying for my brother and his family... My mom's flight leaves at 8:35 am. Please pray that she will have a non-eventual trip. Thank you all for your friendships, prayers, and loving support.
Much love in Christ,
Emily

2007-09-28T01:47:00.000-04:00

Hello everyone:
Last night around 10:00 pm, our grandpa called to tell us that our brother, Isaac Goodwin, was in a motorcycle accident earlier that evening. He is still in the hospital in Roseville, CA and our mom will be leaving on a flight in a few hours to get there. He is in severe condition with his spleen removed, broken ribs, a collapsed lung, a head injury (bleeding from nose and ears), he's on a ventilator and his body is not receiving the oxygen well, and his blood pressure was low but is now at a more stable level *Praise the Lord*. Susan just called, his eyes are dialating, there is some swelling in the brain, and they pinched him and he swatted at him. PRAY!!! Pray that the Lord will would be done (Lord willing, it will be his will for Isaac to fully recover)! Thank you all so much for your friendships and willingness to pray with us!
Much love,
Emily

2007-09-24T22:41:00.000-04:00

To Our Dear Readers, Family and Friends Alike!

We are so sorry for the recent lack of posts! The Lord has not yet granted us a 'non-busy' enough time to blog extensively about all the recent goings-on. Rest assured, we plan to have a novel of an update very soon! :)

The Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord make His face to shine upon you and be gracious unto you and give you peace!

Love Ever,

The Stone Family :D

The Cochrans, A Wedding, and Kitchen Fun

2007-08-30T21:02:00.000-04:00

THE COCHRANS CAME A'VISITING!!!

We had and nice visit with the Cochran ladies this past Monday morning/afternoon! The Lord bless them as they prepare to start a new chapter in their lives.

We love you Cochran family!!!!!!!!!!

All the ladies! ;)

Momma and Mrs. CochranUhh...hmmm...no comment! LOL!
Egg gathering for Walnut Pie...
Cluck cluck...what are you doing with my eggs!?!?!?!

Thank you ladies...now we have enough for the pie!!!
The Crunchy Culinary Creation. DELICIOUS!

Awww! Mary, Trishie, and Livie! ;)

Katie and Anna, 10-year-long friends! Whew what a long time. It's been a jolly friendship, Katie dear! :D
Miss Elizabeth and my dear kid-sister, Emily!
Goodbye fair friends!!! We wish thee well! God bless you as you go your way!!
Much Love,
The Stone Family :)

The Wedding!

What a joy to have been a part of the recent wedding of Mr. and Mrs. Jordan Carr! God bless them in the life they now lead!

Ms. Mary DeVries glides down the aisle on her dear father's arm.

Only minutes before, she was preceded by her husband-to-be's sister, Beryl. Doesn't she look lovely??

The bride's sitser (aka: Maid of Honor) soon follows the groom's sister in her walk down the aisle.

The bride and groom listen as a song is sung for them.

Ladies and Gentlemen! I present to you, Mr. and Mrs. Jordan Carr!!! *ecstatic applause* :D

The place where the bride and groom's piece of cake used to be. *yum yum*

The groom and bride make their graceful exit..........just kidding!!

Run Jordan and Mary! Ruuuunnnnnnn for your lllliiiives!!!!!

The Dance of the Rose Bouquets. *heehee*
Sweet Momma talking with Mrs. Bahr in the church kitchen.
An aerial shot at the church sanctuary. Lovely, just lovely!

Mrs. Morrison with two of her five men. Joshua and Jeremy, respectively.
Our dear friends Kim and Jean Fambrough.

Emily, what are you doing on the stage?? ;)

Jean and I, what a dear friend!
Bye Beryl!!! It was nice to see you too!! *haha* (she is actually tossing something in this picture, not waving ;)

Kitchen Fun!
Momma and I decided a few nights ago that we would break out the camera and have some fun while preparing dinner. The photos following are the end result. :)

The delicious Stone Family method of potato baking!
Peel those carrots Lidia...peel 'em! Great job!

Ahh...nothin' like fresh cucumbers.

What do you think this is Anna, a spa???? :D
The by-product of Momma weighing eggs. The numbers on them represent how much a dozen of the same weight would weigh. For example: a dozen of eggs the same weight as the right-most one would weigh 29 oz. Pretty neat, eh? :)

Here's the OFFICIAL egg weighing contraption! (the egg on the scale is not real, that's why it looks as though it doesn't weigh anything)

Look at the size of those peppers! They're as big as her face!

Cooking lemon-peppered chicken.
Mamma's faithful diligence is a constant inspiration to us all. We love you Momma!!!!!!!

The Redeemer Liveth!

Our BIG Adventure!

Veteran Tribute

This one's for Mom :)

Can you say a perfect day for the BEACH!

Camp 2009! :) Wahoo!!

Thrifting!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sisters, Sisters...

Mad Cow Disease?

Rope Swings, Smiles, and Bar-B-Que

Christy Costigan's Testimony

*shhh...* This is about.... BARBERVILLE!

Ode To Modesty

Just Kidding!!

A Red Envelope: Please Join All of Us in Mailing Ours on March 31st 2009

Lois and Eunice

Cleaning canning jars

One Winter Morn

Barberville Fall Jamboree Pics- Evening Time

Appointment to Remember and Stone Family Picture

Our Newest Addition...

Remember--Thanksgiving Day November 27th, 2008

Barberville Fall Jamboree

Barberville Fall Jamboree Announcement

Happy 18th Emily!

Family Trip, At the O'Briens

Olivia's 13th Birthday Party!

20 Years Ago Today...

Dawn

Wedding Announcement!

Stone Family Surprise

Barberville Spring Frolic 2008

Yearbook Pictures

Barberville Spring Frolic

77 years...November 8, 1930- March 28, 2008

Time Spent with Mimae and Pop Pop

Our Voyage to the Youth Convention & Touring D.C.

Youth Convention - Part I

Youth Convention - Part II

Uniting Church and Family

Hungry Goats + Oranges = Full Bellies

'Tis the Season...for Cleaning!

'Tis the Season...for a Progressive Dinner!

Isaac's Memorial

32 Years...Aug. 25, 1975 - Sept. 28, 2007

Update...

Update on Isaac...

The Cochrans, A Wedding, and Kitchen Fun

shhh... This is about.... BARBERVILLE!